True Professionalism

Author: David H. Maister
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1471108511
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 290

Book Description
Are some technically competent professionals who work hard and long hours 'true professionals' or are they just cruisers? In this deeply illuminating call to arms, David Maister, the world's premier consultant to professional service firms, vigorously challenges individuals to examine closely the meaning of their work and reach beyond their grasp. The pursuit of the highest standards, Maister argues, is the primary road to commercial success. He presents a visionary reconception of professionalism that encompasses a lifelong dedication to self-improvement, a personal commitment to excellence, and a true spirit of service to clients. Looking first at the individual professional, Maister dares those good corporate citizens who 'do their duty' to discover what they truly love to do. Turning to the institution, Maister focuses on what he calls the 'instability' of professional service firms today, and offers advice on how to invest in skill building. David Maister's message is a recipe for success and for professional satisfaction making TRUE PROFESSIONALISM a worthy successor to his previous writings.

High Performance Habits

Author: Brendon Burchard
Publisher: Hay House, Inc
ISBN: 1401952852
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 401

Book Description
THESE HABITS WILL MAKE YOU EXTRAORDINARY. Twenty years ago, author Brendon Burchard became obsessed with answering three questions: 1. Why do some individuals and teams succeed more quickly than others and sustain that success over the long term? 2. Of those who pull it off, why are some miserable and others consistently happy on their journey? 3. What motivates people to reach for higher levels of success in the first place, and what practices help them improve the most After extensive original research and a decade as the world’s leading high performance coach, Burchard found the answers. It turns out that just six deliberate habits give you the edge. Anyone can practice these habits and, when they do, extraordinary things happen in their lives, relationships, and careers. Which habits can help you achieve long-term success and vibrant well-being no matter your age, career, strengths, or personality? To become a high performer, you must seek clarity, generate energy, raise necessity, increase productivity, develop influence, and demonstrate courage. The art and science of how to do all this is what this book is about. Whether you want to get more done, lead others better, develop skill faster, or dramatically increase your sense of joy and confidence, the habits in this book will help you achieve it faster. Each of the six habits is illustrated by powerful vignettes, cutting-edge science, thought-provoking exercises, and real-world daily practices you can implement right now. If you’ve ever wanted a science-backed, heart-centered plan to living a better quality of life, it’s in your hands. Best of all, you can measure your progress. A link to a free professional assessment is included in the book.

Career Courage

Author: Katie Kelley
Publisher: AMACOM
ISBN: 0814436757
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Book Description
Learn how to discover your passion, step out of your comfort zone, and create the success you want with the help of this invaluable guide. How has your answer changed since childhood to the often-asked question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” For most, the answers tend to begin with excited seven-year-olds confidently and excitedly screaming out things like, “A basketball player!” or “A fireman!” or “A cook!” and then ten to fifteen years later those same kids are shrugging their shoulders while saying, “Not sure. Maybe something in accounting?” What happened? When did we lose the courage to find our true calling and not just settle for what make sense in today’s workforce, or what our parents pushed us toward? Career Courage is meant to help you conquer your fears, shed misguided ideas, and muster the strength to let go of a safe job and stage your next act. Whether you’re a college grad contemplating choices or a seasoned professional seeking new directions, this guidebook poses tough questions about motivation, confidence, character, risk tolerance, and more. The answers will power your journey forward as you learn to: Clarify what really matters Express your point of view Build strong relationships and a robust network Think like an entrepreneur Prioritize a truly fulfilling life Starting or changing careers can be a scary, soul-searching process. Career Courage will give you the strength and guidance you need to break free from your fears and find fulfillment in the workforce.

Practice What You Preach

Author: David H. Maister
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1471105687
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 269

Book Description
In today's highly competitive realm of professional service firms, the quest for individual stardom is at an all-time high. The temptation to rack up the most billable hours and out-perform one's fellow advisers is often irresistible. But it is also shortsighted and terribly counterproductive, according to world-renowned authority and acclaimed author David Maister. In this groundbreaking book, Maister issues a much-needed wake-up call to today's professional service firms. Arguing that a far greater contribution to a firm's success can come from those who find fulfilment in seeing other's succeed rather than those who assume the role of "most valuable player". The author outlines and discusses in detail the nine key "people" issues upon which successfully managed and profitable organisations rely. Supporting his findings with a range of compelling data, Maister demonstrates how and why firms that emphasise the highest standards of employee professionalism are invariably more financially successful than those that don't.

The Art of Client Service

Author: Robert Solomon
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 111922828X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 191

Book Description
A practical guide for providing exceptional client service Most advertising and marketing people would claim great client service is an elusive, ephemeral pursuit, not easily characterized by a precise skill set or inventory of responsibilities; this book and its author argue otherwise, claiming there are definable, actionable methods to the role, and provide guidance designed to achieve more effective work. Written by one of the industry's most knowledgeable client services executives, the book begins with a definition, then follows a path from an initial new business win to beginning, building, losing, then regaining trust with clients. It is a powerful source of counsel for those new to the business, for industry veterans who want to refresh or validate what they know, and for anyone in the middle of the journey to get better at what they do.

Leading With Emotional Courage

Author: Peter Bregman
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119505674
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 171

Book Description
The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 18 Minutes unlocks the secrets of highly successful leaders and pinpoints the missing ingredient that makes all the difference You have the opportunity to lead: to show up with confidence, connected to others, and committed to a purpose in a way that inspires others to follow. Maybe it’s in your workplace, or in your relationships, or simply in your own life. But great leadership—leadership that aligns teams, inspires action, and achieves results—is hard. And what makes it hard isn’t theoretical, it’s practical. It’s not about knowing what to say or do. It’s about whether you’re willing to experience the discomfort, risk, and uncertainty of saying or doing it. In other words, the most critical challenge of leadership is emotional courage. If you are willing to feel everything, you can do anything. Leading with Emotional Courage, based on the author’s popular blogs for Harvard Business Review, provides practical, real-world advice for building your emotional courage muscle. Each short, easy to read chapter details a distinct step in this emotional “workout,” giving you grounded advice for handling the difficult situations without sacrificing professional ground. By building the courage to say the necessary but difficult things, you become a stronger leader and leave the “should’ves” behind. Theoretically, leadership is straightforward, but how many people actually lead? The gap between theory and practice is huge. Emotional courage is what bridges that gap. It’s what sets great leaders apart from the rest. It gets results. It cuts through the distractions, the noise, and the politics to solve problems and get things done. This book is packed with actionable steps you can take to start building these skills now. Have the courage to speak up when others remain silent Be stable and grounded in the face of uncertainty Respond productively to opposition without getting distracted Weather others’ anger without shutting down or getting defensive Leading with Emotional Courage coaches you to build your emotional courage, exercise it effectively, and create an environment in which people around you take accountability to get hard things done.

So Good They Can't Ignore You

Author: Cal Newport
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
ISBN: 1455509108
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 163

Book Description
In an unorthodox approach, Georgetown University professor Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that "follow your passion" is good advice, and sets out on a quest to discover the reality of how people end up loving their careers. Not only are pre-existing passions rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work, but a focus on passion over skill can be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping. Spending time with organic farmers, venture capitalists, screenwriters, freelance computer programmers, and others who admitted to deriving great satisfaction from their work, Newport uncovers the strategies they used and the pitfalls they avoided in developing their compelling careers. Cal reveals that matching your job to a pre-existing passion does not matter. Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before. In other words, what you do for a living is much less important than how you do it. With a title taken from the comedian Steve Martin, who once said his advice for aspiring entertainers was to "be so good they can't ignore you," Cal Newport's clearly written manifesto is mandatory reading for anyone fretting about what to do with their life, or frustrated by their current job situation and eager to find a fresh new way to take control of their livelihood. He provides an evidence-based blueprint for creating work you love, and will change the way you think about careers, happiness, and the crafting of a remarkable life.

The Trusted Advisor

Author: David H. Maister
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 147110964X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 234

Book Description
Beside talent and a sterling portfolio, what can world-class consultants like Deloitte & Touche, Societe General and Towers Perrin boast has helped them achieve success in our entrepreneurial economy? They all have the inside track on the indispensable "Trusted Advisor" model for client relationships, created by renowned experts Charles Green and Robert Galford. Now Green and Galford have teamed up with the acclaimed David Maister in order to help their latest high-profile, fast-forward client: you. In this straightforward guide, Maister, Green and Galford show readers that the key to professional success goes well beyond technical mastery or expertise. Today, it's all about the vital ability to earn the client's trust and thereby win the ability to influence them. In these high risk times, trust is more valuable than gold. With this critical, highly detailed and accessible resource, readers will learn the five crucial steps for developing, managing and improving client confidence. For both emerging and established entrepreneurs and consultants, THE TRUSTED ADVISOR is the first truly indispensable business book of the decade.

Expect to Win

Author: Carla A. Harris
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0452295904
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 258

Book Description
Updated in 2017 with a new author’s note and chapter on building effective business relationships! “Penned by an exceptionally bright woman whose ideas will enlighten you, brighten and brilliantly ignite vision in all who read it. Out of the matrix of her wisdom emerges a book that will revolutionize your life and may very well alter your thinking as we go into a new era of time. A must-read!”—Bishop T.D. Jakes, New York Times bestselling author of Reposition Yourself: Living Life Without Limits Carla Harris, one of the most successful and respected women in business, shares advice, tips, and strategies for surviving in any workplace environment. While climbing the corporate ladder, Harris had her own missteps and celebrated numerous victories. She vowed that when she reached senior management, and people came to her for advice, she would provide them with the tools and strategies honed by her experience. “Carla’s Pearls” have become the centerpiece for her many speeches and television appearances. Now, Carla shares these valuable lessons, including: · Authenticity: The Power is You · The Ninety-Day Rule · Perception is the Copilot to Reality · The Mentor, the Sponsor, the Adviser: Having Them All · Leverage Your Voice · Balance is a Necessity: Use Your Passions to Achieve It · Expect to Win: Show Up with Your Best Self Every Day Expect to Win is an inspirational must-read for anyone seeking battle-tested tools for fulfilling their true potential.

The Trusted Advisor: 20th Anniversary Edition

Author: Charles H. Green
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0743205448
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 236

Book Description
Bestselling author David Maister teams up with Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galford to bring us the essential tool for all consultants, negotiators, and advisors. In today's fast-paced networked economy, professionals must work harder than ever to maintain and improve their business skills and knowledge. But technical mastery of one's discipline is not enough, assert world-renowned professional advisors David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford. The key to professional success, they argue, is the ability to earn the trust and confidence of clients. To demonstrate the paramount importance of trust, the authors use anecdotes, experiences, and examples -- successes and mistakes, their own and others' -- to great effect. The result is an immensely readable book that will be welcomed by the inexperienced advisor and the most seasoned expert alike.